question on jeep dealer refusing service.

Ah, ok... now I see what you're driving at. Ya, makes sense to me now, thanks. :)

Dave

Mr. Cactus, I can understand trying to buy from local folks first. I believe in helping the local economy and I can believe it is even more important when you are in the seriously smaller towns...but I too found myself in this same situation. I dealt with the first Jeep dealer and said "lets deal best price right now because I will go to the competitors across town and seek their best price too" while this dealer had my favorite color(yellow/auto) in stock, I found the better price acrossed town in my second color choice(red/auto). I told first dealer and they couldn't come even within $2k of that price. Dealer A was eliminated. Neither dealer had a manual tranny..I asked dealer B, if I placed an order for a manual in yellow, how long it would be ? It was 2 to 3 months. wow. I never wanted auto tranny at all, and you now how it is to have to wait for 3 months for something, so one last ditch attempt, I searched autotrader. There just happened to be a manual/khaki 140 miles out of town. This one was $2k cheaper than dealer B and $4k cheaper than A. I went with that one.

So what I am saying is, sometimes you still have to buy from non-local dealers to get what you want. You try local first but you gotta go where the selection is at.

My beef with this post is, why would you treat ANY customer so poorly(ok, any differently) simply because, due to these kinds of circumstances like I had, the buyer wasn't able to buy through the hometown dealership ? In any case a customer coming to you, even for service, is a new customer loyalty opportunity. so what, you couldn't sell one to them this time but with top notch service, you just might sell em one next time ? that's what I believe.

wow, If I had caught wind of this/your practice prior to scheduling an appointment with your dealership, I would have driven 100 miles for service just to avoid yours.

Now I will be wondering if either of my dealerships will treat me this way if I ever need service.

dave

this is exactly how my DEALER A treated me. The salesperson(woman,cute as all hell) went and got the sales mgr he said "this is a pretty damn good price, we need to ""keep the lights on you know"" they knew I was going to DEALER B.

you know they had the nerve to call me back 2 weeks later and wonder how the deal was going to happen.. I stated the price at B and the deal I got at C and they said "we would have beat that". I said well then, "why, when I asked for BEST PRICE" do you come up with it now" "not a good sales plan" but I say, there might be an opportunity for service. So I left it open.

There is another Jeep service person that posts here and he has the exact if not a worse attitude.

Then they wonder why 'Stealerships' have such a 'good' reputation. Irony meter on there eh.

Mike

dave wrote:

DITTO !!!

I would expect 99% the same, quality treatment from a dealership I chose to service my Jeep whether I bought it there or not. Same personal treatment, same loaner car..same everything. About the only thing I could see happening any differently might be coupons sent or maybe a car wash as a way of saying thank you for that extra 1% difference, "for purchasing from us"... neither of which would sway me in to paying an extra $2 to 4 grand for a vehicle. "so what, I don't get red carpet treatment. I still saved $4k"

dave

He explained it to me, I finally got it. ;)

Dave

Or a dealer too damn cheap to knock off a lousy hundred bucks. The guy found a car he liked out of town. He went to the local dealer and said "can you match it". And the local snotbag let a potential customer walk over a lousy $100? Not someone I care to patronize. This isn't the same as shopping out of town, it is giving a local business the chance to get your money.

Matt,

I don't think you fully understand the automotive business. My "small local shop" pays exactly the same invoice price that a huge "volume sales" dealer does. Your Wal Mart analogy does not apply to automotive dealerships.

Also consider that frequently the overhead costs at a small town dealership are much lower than those in large cities or at large volume dealerships. That's why my employer, Fremont Motor Company in Powell, Wyoming, can effectively compete with the largest of dealerships, e.g. Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg, Idaho or stores in Billings, Salt Lake City, or Denver.

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O

Dave,

You're being unrealistic. Let me explain why.

Put yourself in the shoes of a Service Manager in the typical car store.

Hypothetical situation:

Two customers show up at 7:30 AM, both with serious problems requiring urgent attention.

Customer A is John Doe, the roofing contractor who purchased his new truck from your Sales Department last week. He'll be buying another truck from your store in 6 months, and his entire fleet of 10 vehicles is serviced in your shop.

Customer B is Jane Smith, a local woman who bought a used program car out of town last week without ever giving the guys in your Sales Department a chance to earn her business on two similar cars sitting out on the lot.

You're fully booked up with the exception of one technician, who has time available at 8 AM. Who do you schedule in?

On the subject of free loaner cars and the shuttle van:

You have a budget for two loaner cars and one shuttle van. You can provide this free, value-added service to 50~60% of the customers. Who do you offer this to, the 'bought out of towners' or loyal 'bought local' customers? Sure, it would be nice to have 4 loaner cars and two shuttle vans, but that would force you into raising prices, losing service business, and laying off a technician as a result.

Car dealerships, like any business, must remain competitive and generate a profit. In the course of normal business, choices must be made. If those choices favor loyal customers, so be it.

As for "paying an extra $2 to 4 grand for a vehicle", that's absolutely ridiculous. The car business is way too competitive for that to happen, unless you allow it.

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O

"Local dealers have less competition"? Huh?!! Not at the small town car store where I work and sell. Billings Montana is 100 miles away, with many dealers far bigger than my store carrying a much larger inventory. There's also other Ford/Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep stores closer than that, here in NW Wyoming. Dave Smith Motors (HUGE Dodge Dealer) is within a day's drive, in Idaho. Competition is fierce indeed!

There seems to be a common misperception that a large volume dealer can offer bigger discounts than a small town store. Fact is, dealer invoice does not vary according to the size of the dealership or their sales volume. Yes, there can be small differences in fixed manufacturer's advertising costs or incentives by region nationwide, but in reality, all car dealers are on a level playing field. In fact, very often a small town dealer has a big advantage in having significantly lower overhead costs.

As for buying local, how about this-

In February 1998, I ordered my XJ Sport from Justin Motors in Powell, Wyoming and had it drop-shipped to a dealer in Wayne, New Jersey. Why? Because I was living in New Jersey at the the time but was going to move to Powell, Wyoming in May 1998. It cost an additional $300 for a courtesy delivery (charged by the Jeep dealer in NJ), but it was more important that I buy from the dealership in Wyoming, where I would be living. I don't just talk "buy local", I practice it and have done so for many years, long before getting into the car business. BTW, I got a terrific price on my XJ when I ordered it in Wyoming. Negotiations took only five minutes.

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O

Yes, it is. And it is a horrible way to spend time.

Well, I went bumper to bumper with what I wanted. Chewed the rag a bit....took my time!!

I can't remember what movie it was in....but I would say my bit without a question on the end of it or anything...then I'd just be quiet for LONG silences that got uncomfortable for the salesperson. Then he'd start chattering....this is where they can get in trouble!!

Not that I screwed them....but it's fun to do when you know they want your money!!

Bob,

You're entitled to your opinion of course. However, the vast majority of buyers expect to negotiate their vehicle purchase and have no problem doing so. If you find it so difficult, you should either buy a Saturn or merely wait for advertised specials.

My job requires that I negotiate price with customers. I'm a skilled negotiator and I enjoy it. Most of my customers enjoy negotiating as well, and readily accept that it's part of the traditional car buying process. If they're clearly uncomfortable, I'll do my best to put them at ease and make it a fast and painless process. The vast majority of my customers HAVE FUN buying a vehicle from me and my store. Negotiating is fun when you're dealing with a professional like me and you have the right attitude.

If you've had a prior bad experience with a car dealer or car salesman, don't condemn the entire auto industry or the art of negotiation because of it. Don't go into a car store with a confrontational and angry attitude. If you do, you're sure to experience another "horrible way to spend time".

Before I got into car sales, I bought numerous vehicles from car dealers. I never had a bad experience. Why? My positive attitude as a buyer.

Think about it.

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O

A professional car salesman? Are amateur leagues? Can you not be in the Olympics now cuz you've gone pro?!

Sorry....just read it and it sounded funny!!

You have to expect people to be quite defensive when dealing with salesmen! Cuz basically they know they're going to be more than they should for the vehicle.

Bull. The salesman loves it. The sales managers hate it because it's clearly known that the saleman has no control over the managers price until this happens. Instant TO to either get what you want or you don't waste yours or anybody elses time... That's the way to do it.

Yeah, I guess that "professional car salesman" does sound funny. :-) Guys who've been selling cars for a year or longer would know what I'm talking about though. If you've survived that long in car sales, you are truly a professional.

There is a high turnover in car sales. Not many people can handle the high pressure, frequent rejection, and often unpredictable earnings of a straight commission sales position. You'll talk to a lot of people who "once sold cars". In most cases, they did it unsuccessfully for 2-4 months. Due to the high turnover, there are some mediocre car 'salesman' out there with very little sales experience, terribly inadequate product knowledge, and bad attitudes.

Some people do come into my car store with a defensive or confrontational attitude. Sometimes my biggest challenge is establishing rapport and putting the customer at ease.

Best regards, Dave Rose Cactus Cowboy Big Wonderful Wyoming '49 Willys Pickup (parts truck) '62 Willys Pickup 4WD 226 '98 XJ Sport O|||||||O